Fluid conducting hinge device



y 27, 1955 F. GANZ ETAL 3,196,845

FLUID CONDUCTING HINGE DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ti ql.

INVENTORS & FEux Gmvz BY do 77 6PEN/YEQ y 27, 1965. F. GANZ ETAL 3,

FLUID CONDUCTING HINGE DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FE'L/X GA vz BY LorHn B Q e/veys F. GANZ ETAL FLUID CONDUCTING HINGE DEVICE July 27, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 INVENTORS Fsux GAN2,

Lorna? Beau/v61 NEyS United States Patent 3,196,845 lFiLlUlD CONDUTING HENGE DEVHIE Felix Ganz and Lethar- Brenner, Lucerne, Switzeriand,

assignors to Ygnis, A.G., Fribourg, Switzerland, a stock company of Switzerland Filed Feb. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 260,490 Claims priority, application Switzerland Feb. 26, 1962 8 Claims. (Cl. 122-498) This invention relates to fluid conducting hinge devices.

Such devices are used for hinging two members together, such as a door and and a door frame, while conducting fluid between the members, such as conducting Water to and from a hollow door of a furnace either for cooling the door or for heating the water.

One prior art expedient has been to use a hinge construction that is entirely mechanical but is part of an assembly which includes a separate flexible hose which conducts the fiuid, the hose being connected by a flanged pipe joint with a fitting on the door. Although operative, such a construction has proven to be inconvenient and troublesome. Swivel pipe joints have also been used as hinges, but their construction requires the joint between the relatively rotating parts to carry the mechanical hinging stress, making fluid-tight sealing unreliable.

Although of general application, the present invention was developed particularly for use in connection with a novel form of furnace described by British Patent 847,277, dated September 7, 1960. This furnace, among other things, features an internal combustion chamber completely surrounded by water and, therefore, requiring a door which is hollow and through which the water must be able to circulate. The inside of the door is swept by a flame and in one commercial form of this furnace a fuel burner is mounted by the door so as to project a flame through it and into the combustion chamber. Furnaces of this kind have been operated successfully using the all-mechanical hinge and separate flexible hose arrangement described above, but it is desirable to provide a better arrangement that operates more easily, which requires less servicing and which is more compact in form.

One object of the present invention is to provide a hinge construction having the above desirable characteristics. Although particularly applicable for mounting the door of the above furnace, because of these same and other desirable characteristics this invention has a general usefulness wherever two members must be hinged together and fluid must be conducted between these members. Another object is to provide a hinge device of the general character described which is capable of carrying high mechanical stress while conducting fluid under relatively high pressure between the inter-hinged members with the fluid or the device itself or both operating at relatively high temperatures when in service. Another object is to provide a device of this character which permits the hinging action without the need for loosening and tightening parts to provide freedom for the hinging motion. Still another object is to provide such a device with a construction that is not apt to be plugged by contamination such as scale or other solids.

As a general broad summary of the present invention, it comprises a device for hinging two members together, which may for convenience be called first and second members, and conducting fluid therebetween. This device includes an assembly of two mutually superimposed parts, which also for convenience may be called first and second parts. Means are provided for connecting these two parts together in their superimposed relationship for rotation relative to each other on a common axis, and the two parts internally form co-operatively a common chamber ice located on this axis and extending into both of these parts, each of the latter having a port for the portion of this chamber that lies within the part. Means, such as a thrust bearing, is provided for connecting the first part to the first member for rotation relative thereto on the axis about which the two parts rotate relative to each other and this same first part has means, such as a laterally ex tending arm, for connecting the second member to it so that this second member swings on the just mentioned axis.

It follows from the above that all of the mechanical hinging stress is transmitted between the two members through the first part which may be free from any swivel joint and therefore strong, the thrust bearing or other means working entirely mechanically and having nothing to do with the conduction of the fluid or involving any need for sealing relatively rotating parts against fluid leakage.

The device further includes means for forming a fluid conduit connecting with the port of the first part and extending to the second member. Specifically, the just mentioned means and the means for connecting the first memher to this first part may be combined in the form of a rigid tubular arm or the like internally connecting with the port and having the mechanical strength through its connection with the first part and the hinged swinging member needed to transmit any mechanical stress involved.

Further, the device includes means for forming a fluid conduit connecting with the port of the second part and extending to the first member for use as required. Note that this second part need not and does not carry any of the mechanical stress which the device must carry as a hinge. This second part need not rotate with the first part but may remain stationary, so the means for forming a conduit connecting with the port of the first part may also be a rigid tube.

The junction between the two parts, of course, requires sealing for fluid tightness. Iowever, any sealing means used for this purpose is relieved entirely from the mechanical hinge stress and must accommodate only the rotative action. Therefore, it is much more possible to provide a fluid-tight seal in this instance than it would be in the event the two parts had to not only be sealed fluid-tightly while permitting rotative action, but also had to be designed to carry the mechanical hinge stress. In the case of the door of the furnace referred to above, the door is quite heavy and requires the hinge to be stressed mechanically to a considerable degree. Prior to the present invention this required the use of a hinge which carried the weight and the separate flexible hose which conducted the fluid.

Although the above is sufficient to provide a brief summary of the invention, the latter includes many additional features that are of substantial practical merit yet unobvious to the person of ordinary skill at the time the present invention was made.

Examples of the best mode now contemplated for practicing the present invention are described below and illustrated by the accompanying drawings so that any person skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make and use the same.

Referring now to these acompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a furnace of the kind described by the previously mentioned British patent, with the door provided with upper and lower fluid conducting hinges embodying the present invention, it being understood that the invention is not limited to such use;

FIG. 2 is a side view on an enlarged scale of the upper one of the hinges shown in FIG. 1, portions being in section;

FIG. 3 is a vertically sectioned view of the lower one of the two hinges, this section being taken through the axis of the hinge and in a plane parallel to the front of the furnace, on substantially the same scale as FIG. 2;

FIG. 3a shows only the upper portion of FIG. 3 and serves to illustrate a modification of the thrust bearing shown by FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the line IVIV in FIG. 3;

FIG. shows on a still further enlarged scale a portion of FIG. 3 and illustrates a modification of the fluid sealing means used between the two parts of the device;

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the upper hinge shown by FIG. 1 with the thrust bearing not shown, this view being on substantially the same scale as FIG. 2 and being shown partly in elevation and partly in vertical section; and

FIG. 6a and FIG. 61; respectively show different modifications of the sealing means shown by FIG. 6, these two figures being on a larger scale relative to FIG. 6 and each comprising only a portion of the latter figure, both being vertical sections.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the upper hinge assembly seen in FIG. 6.

Now, having reference to the above drawings, FIG. 1 shows the front wall 1 of the furnace, this wall being in front of the hollow furnace wall the inside of which forms the internal combustion chamber. This front wall has an opening or door frame (not shown) to provide access to the interior of the combustion chamber, thus necessitating the hollow door 2 which must contain water as described by the previously mentioned British patent. This door also has a mounting 2a to which a suitable fuel burner may be affixed. It can be seen that this door is necessarily a heavy affair, keeping in mind that it must be made from metal.

This door is supported, during opening and closing at least, by a lower pipe 3 and an upper pipe 4 respectively extending horizontally and tangentially from the lower and upper portions of the door and both connecting with the interior of the hollow door.

Both pipes are rigid metal pipes of adequate strength to support the door. The lower pipe 3 connects rigidly and strongly with what may be called the first part 5 of the lower hinge device, while the pipe 4 connects correspondingly with the first part 6 of the upper hinge device. These parts 5 and 6 are the ones that operate as the journal parts which carry the mechanical stress of supporting the door during hinging action. They are in effect hinge pins which must be journaled.

As supports for these first parts or hinge pins, brackets 7 and 8, for the lower and upper devices respectively are fastened to the front wall 1 of the furnace by means of screw fastenings 9 and 10 respectively shown as nuts and bolts. These fastenings pass through oversize holes or slots (not shown) formed in either the brackets or the furnace wall so that the brackets may be adjusted as required for accurate hinge alignment. These brackets have horizontal flanges 11 and 11a respectively having vertical bores 12 and 12a respectively, provided with bushings 13 and 14 respectively.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the lower and upper devices are shown with their second parts 15 and 16 respectively connected by rigid metal pipes 17 and 18 with the wall 1 by external flanges 19 and 20 respectively, each flange having screw fastenings 21, so as to communicate with pipes 22 on the inside of the wall, each provided with an internal flange 23. These screw fastenings 21, of the nut and bolt type, serve to fasten the inner and outer flanges together in each instance so as to clamp the wall 1 between them, the wall having enlarged holes la so that when the screw fastenings are loosened the hinge alignment previously described may be effected. The arrangement just described is shown by FIG. 2 in the case of the upper hinge device, the arrangement for the lower device being substantially the same.

The door is provided with a heavy lock 25 for releasably holding it closed. Because of the heavy weight of the door 2, plate reinforcements 26 and 27 are connected between the door and the pipes 3 and 4 respectively. The centerline or axis on which the door swings is indicated at 29 in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 3, this axis 29 is also shown. The first or hinge pin part 5, this view showing the lower device, is formed with an upwardly extending dead bore 31 into which a port 32 opens radially, this port connecting with the inside of the pipe 3. At its top this part is formed with a lip 33 which bears against the bottom of the bushing 14 so as to form therewith a lower thrust bearing surface. This part 5 also has an upwardly projecting hinge pin 34 provided with an internally threaded dead bore 35. The bearing 14 has a top flange 36 which forms an upper thrust bearing surface. A journal flange 40 is pressed against this surface, this flange being a part of a screw 42 that is screwed into the internally threaded bore 41 and locked against inadvertent rotation by a set screw 43. The large flanges can rotatively carry much of the doors weight.

References to FIG. 3a shows parts which correspond generally to those just described above and which are, therefore, given similar numerals to which the small letter a is applied. The difference is that the two thrust bearing surfaces are formed as ball bearing races between which ball bearings 36b are located. This provides for easier rotative motion.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the first or hinge pin part 5 has an annular recess 45 formed in a downwardly extending cylindrical shank 46 fitted rotatively in a counterbore 47 formed in the second or lower part 15. An annular series of pins 49 are screwed removably through holes uniformly interspaced circumferentially and extending radially through the upper portion of the part 15 at locations registering with these pins so they project into the recess 45, thus mechanically interconnecting the two parts rotatively. This upper portion contains the counter bore 47. Other means for interconnecting the parts against separation may be used. The sealing ring recess 48 contains an O-ring 50 or other suitable sealing arrangement.

The second or lower part 15 has a dead bore 51 extending downwardly and provided with a radial bore 52 with which the pipe 17 connects.

As shown by the drawings, both of the parts 5 and 15 are externally shaped as cylinders of equal diameters arranged concentrically with respect to the axis 29 and the two dead bores respectively within these parts are likewise concentric with respect to this axis, as are all of the other parts which must rotate relative to each other. The two dead bores co-operatively form a common chamber with the portions in each of the two parts.

All of the mechanical stress is carried by the part 5. When this part rotates during swinging of the door, the lower part 15 may stand stationary. Both of the pipes connected with the device may be rigid because they do not have to move relative to any other part involving movement relative to them. The interconnection or joint between the two parts, and the fluid-tight seal arrangement, are entirely free from the mechanical stress transmitted through the part 5. The part 15 must carry only the sliding friction between the two parts but this is entirely a rotary force easily carried by sealing arrangements of the type used for rotating shafts in general. No twisting action is involved between the two parts, relative to the axis 29.

It is to be understood that the upper hinge device shown by FIG. 2 may be internally constructed in a corresponding manner. Although not illustrated it may correspondingly be provided with either plain or anti-friction bearings for associating it with the flange 11 of the bracket 8.

The modification shown by FIG. 5 is of advantage when the hinge device is exposed to elevated temperatures and therefore requires the use of heat resistant sealing material such as asbestos or the like. O-rings are made usually from synthetic rubber and can not be used under such conditions.

In this modification the part 67 corresponds generally to the part 46 and part as is somewhat like the part 47 excepting that it is made with an enlarged diameter externally and internally. The element 69 corresponds with the shank 46. The groove acts like the groove 45 in connection with interconnecting the two parts. The pivot pin 69 has an annular groove 71 formed by a reduction in the diameter of the shank 69, the part 68 being formed to provide a bottom 72 for the annular space defined as described. The hinge pin part 67 is formed to provide a top abutment 73 so that the annular space is in cross section a vertically elongated enclosed shape. Heat resistant packing 74 is packed in thi space on top of the bottom 72 and a flexible heat resistant ring 75 is located on top of this sealing material. On top of this ring 75 an annular series of ring segments 76 is arranged, each segment having a wedge shaped bottom angled so that when the segment is pressed radially inwardly it wedges down and downwardly deflects the portion of the ring which it engages. In registration with each segment, the part 68 has an internally threaded bore 77 in which screws '78 are screwed. By screwing in these screws more or less, the ring 75 may be undulated as required to provide localized pressure on the packing '74 which, being deformable, must expand laterally more or less. In this fashion localized sealing pressure may be applied or released as required for complete sealing without binding tightness rotatively.

The modified device shown by FIG. 6 corresponds generally to the upper one of the hinge devices shown by FIGS. 1 and 2. The thrust bearing arrangement is not shown since it may be of any type providing an adequately strong rotative mounting.

In this modification, the main dilference is that the part 6 of FIG. 2 is increased in diameter throughout its length to form the larger part 80, its upper end being provided with a radially split ring 31 mounted to it by cap screws $2. Adjusting screws 83 are also screwed through this split ring 81 in a downward direction, this ring extending inwardly into an annular groove 16a formed in the lower portion of the part 16b which corresponds to the part 16 in FIG. 2 or the part in FIG. 3, in a general way. In this fashion the two parts are prevented from separating while being permitted to rotate relative to each other.

The part 8d is formed with a counter bore 80a in which packing 74a is positioned with a circular ring or series of arcuate segments 8% on top and beneath the various ad justing screws 83. The part 1612 projects farther downwardly into the part 89 to provide for rotative bearing surface between which suitable bearing material 8% is located to form a rotative sliding hearing. The packing 74a need not be of heat resistant material, this depending on the service conditions contemplated.

As shown by FIG. 6 the ring segments 84 have flat bottoms, in FIG. 6a the ring segments 84a are made with a triangular cross section, while in FIG. 6b the segments s41; are made with a half round section. In all instances, the upper side is flat and engaged by the screws 83. Both modified shapes provide the segments with a circular line contact with the packing material which with increasing pressure and deformation of the material, increases in its lateral extent. These modified arrangements are desirable in some instances.

The advantage of the FIG. 6 modification is that access can be gained to the packing material by releasing the cap screws 82 and separating the section of the split ring 81. This can be done without pulling apart the two parts of the devices as is required in the case of the constructions described earlier. This feature may be particularly desirable when the new devices are used for purposes other than that illustrated herein. For example, in some cases parts inside of a furnace and exposed to very high temperatures may have to be provided with a fluid conducting hinge. In such instances the arrangement may be such as to make it extremely inconvenient to pull the two parts of the device apart to replace the sealing material.

The choice of fluid sealing material or elements used, in all cases depends, of course, on the service conditions under which the device must operate. O-rings of conventional types are not suitable when the operating temperatures are very high. In such instance asbestos or other material is used. The other parts of the device are made of metal normally. The dead bores and the ports and the counterbores and the annular recesses are made by easy machine tool operations. The bodies of the devices may be made from round bar stock. Welding or brazing may be used to firmly fasten the rigid tubes in the ports of the parts.

In all cases the device is neat and compact. No flex ible hoses are used. The internal chamber and its ports may be made as large as the connecting tubes so there is no risking of plugging by any solids the tubes themselves can pass. The rotative seals are easy to service and main tain, being free from all mechanical stress due to the interhinged members.

What is claimed is:

l. A furnace device for hinging first and second members together and conducting fluid under high pressure and temperature therebetween, said device including an assembly of first and second mutually superimposed parts, means for connecting said part together to prevent them from axially separating while permitting their rotation relative to each other on a common axis and including portions of said parts which are telescoped together and have interfacing cylindrical faces concentric with said axis, one of said faces having an annular recess formed therein and retaining means extending radially into said recess from the other of said faces to positively lock said portions against axially separating, said parts internally forming a common chamber located on said axis and extending into both of these parts and each of the latter having a port for the portion of this chamber therein, means for connecting said first part to said first member for rotation relative thereto on said axis and means for connecting said second member to this same first part so that this second member swings on said axis whereby mechanical stress from one of said members to the other is transmitted through said first part, means for forming a fluid conduit connecting with the port of said first part and extending to said second member and means for forming a fluid conduit connecting with the port of said second part and extending to said first member.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said means for connecting said parts together includes a fluid seal located between said cylindrical faces and permitting relative rotation between said parts and free from all mechanical stress.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said means for connecting said second member to said first part and said means for forming a fluid conduit connecting with the port of said first part and extending to said second member, are both formed by a rigid tubular arm connecting with the last named port and extending therefrom and adapted for connection with said second member.

4. The device of claim 1 in which said parts are substantially cylindrical and said chamber is formed by substantially cylindrical dead bores formed substantially con centrically in these parts.

5. The device of claim I in which one of said portions of said parts forms with the other an axially extending annular space concentric with said axis and having a radial bottom, deformable sealing material located in said space, a deformable pressure ring located in said space to compress said material against said bottom for radial expansion of this material, a plurality of segments located in said space to form a circumferential serie and having axially directed wedge surfaces engaging said ring, and means accessible from the outside of one of said portions for individually forcing and holding each of said segments to radially varying positions to force said ring to deform axially at the portions engaged by said segments.

6. The device of claim 1 in which said portion of said second part has an outside diameter substantially larger than that of the portion of said first part and is formed with a counterbore around the latter portion to form therewith a space that is axially accessible, deformable sealing material located in said counterbore, a circumferential series of segments located in said counterbore and on top of and engaging said material, a radially split ring removably fastened to said end of said middle part, and means accessible from the outside of said split ring for applying individual pressure to each of said segments to com- Q 0 7. The device of claim 6 in which said segments have bottoms engaging said material, which bottoms are shaped to form an arcuate line contact initially with said material which increases in contact area therewith with increasing pressure.

8. The device of claim 6 having a deformable ring located between said segments and said packing material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,624,962 4/27 McLean 122498 1,655,083 1/28 Barley 15877 2,197,216 4/40 Kaufmann 110-176 2,211,514 8/40 Newhall l6577 2,383,292 8/ 45 Dalzell l6577 2,536,840 1/51 Cornell l6577 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, IR., Primary Examiner.

press and radially expand said material locally thereunder. 20 ROBERT A- Ex m 

1. A FURNACE DEVICE FOR HINGING FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS TOGETHER AND CONDUCTING FLUID UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE THEREBETWEEN, SAID DEVICE INCLUDING AN ASSEMBLY OF FIRST AND SECOND MUTUALLY SUPERIMPOSED PARTS MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID PARTS TOGETHER TO PREVENT THEM FROM AXIALLY SEPARATING WHILE PERMITTING THEIR ROTATION RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER ON A COMMON AXIS AND INCLUDING PORTIONS OF SAID PARTS WHICH ARE TELESCOPED TOGETHER AND HAVING INTERFACING CYLINDRICAL FACES CONCENTRIC WITH SAID AXIS, ONE OF SAID FACES HAVING AN ANNULAR RECESS FORMED THEREIN AND RETAINING MEANS EXTENDING RADIALLY INTO SAID RECESS FROM THE OTHER OF SAID FACES TO POSITIVELY LOCK SAID PORTIONS AGAINST AXIALLY SEPARATING, SAID PARTS INTERNALLY FORMING A COMMON CHAMBER LOCATED ON SAID AXIS AND EXTENDING INTO BOTH OF THESE PARTS AND EACH OF THE LATTER HAVING A PORT FOR THE PORTION OF THIS CHAMBER THEREIN, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID FIRST PART TO SAID FIRST MEMBER FOR ROTATION RELATIVE THERETO ON SAID AXIS AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SECOND MEMBER TO THIS SAME FIRST PART SO THAT THIS SECOND MEMBER SWINGS ON SAID AXIS, WHEREBY MECHANICAL STRESS FROM ONE OF SAID MEMBERS TO THE OTHER IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH SAID FIRST PART, MEANS FOR FORMING A FLUID CONDUIT CONNECTING WITH THE PRT OF SAID FIRST PART AND EXTENDING TO SAID SECOND MEMBER AND MEANS FOR FORMING A FLUID CONDUIT CONNECTING WITH THE PORT OF SAID SECOND PART AND EXTENDING TO SAID FIRST MEMBER. 